Knockdown picnic table



Nov. 26, 1946. i J. c. LA RUE 2,411,658

KNOCKDOWN PICNIC TABLE Filed June 12, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

@HN C in RUE Noonn This invention relates tothe art of knockdown tables,'especially picnic tabl es',-:'a'nd is an improvement upon my Letters Patent No. 2;362,567 issued November 14, 1944:.in factflis a continuation in part thereof. 'From the other case above mentioned-At will be seen that the table lconsists of paralleLutransversely extending supports :upon which vhoards are placed; and that, thesesame boards may be placed upon these same-supports inverted,- vin which case the boards occupy the same plane as thoseof theseats at the sides of. the table and thusserveasabed.

The object of the presentinvention is to; devise a means for holding the table board or boards in proper position when serving eitheras a table or as part of a bed. v

More specifically, the object of the'present invention is to devise a means for preventing accidental movement of the table board or boards either horizontally, longitudinally or upwardly time.

, UNITED PAT-eur- OFFICE;

QWN HQ CTABLET' arr ste s Applicat on ul an, 194. 1.;E Serial"l |'o;--539,8 l2

panion case,; the transverse. members 'I,i wl-iich maybe of metal'tubingghave the inverted substantially. u shaped members 2, which may also be'of metal tubing, welded thereto. :Theatable bo'ard;3 is;adapted to rest upon the members .2 when employed as atable, as illustrated in Fig. l, and the seat boards 4 are adapted ,to rest upon the end portions of the membersl. At each end of eachmember I there isv provided a T-connecetormember 5 which' is threaded at its'upper and lower ends. The. lower endsof these T-members 5 are adapted toreceive the legs, .6 .whilethe upper ends thereof are adapted to extend through corresponding apertures in the seat members and to receive the flanged screw-sthreaded members 8 for holding the seat membersin.positionfiff If so desired, the members I can be inverted so as to support the table and seat boards sidewhen in either of the two assemblies above referred to.

Another object is to devise such a means that will at the same time serve to brace the entire table structure when arranged in either of the two assemblies mentioned.

Another object is to devise such a means that is of simple construction and hence not costly and that can be employed without interfering with the knockdown construction of the entire table.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing. v

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a knockdown picnic table of the type shown in the above companion case and to which my present improvement is applied;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a partial view showing one of the cleats in elevation;

Fig. 4 is an end view ofmy knockdown table, referred to, with the table and seat boards arranged as a bed and with my present improvement; and. I

Fig. 5 is a partial view showing a modification.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration and that there might be devised various modifications, thereof without departing from the spirit of my present invention as herein set'forth and claimed.

As more fully explained in the above comby-side for use as a bed, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Now I will explain my present improvement in connection with the structure that I have just briefly described. This improvement consists of a cleat which is attached to the under-side of the table board 3, one near each of the four corners thereof. Each cleat is of a substantially W-shape with a middle roundedportion II, substantially parallel portions I2 extending from the rounded portion II, and upwardly inclined portions I3 terminating in the outwardly extending flange I4 for attachment to the under-side of the board 3 by means of screws. The rounded portion II and the parallel portions I2 together constitute a substantially inverted U-shaped portion which is adapted to fit over the member I so as to have effective snug engagement therewith.

Each cleat is provided with registering holes through the four portions I2 and I3 to accommodate av readily removable pin I5 which may have effective frictional engagement therewith. This provision is made near the outer lower corner of the cleat, in each instance, so that the pins I5 will be located closely adjacent to the upright portions 2a of the members 2. This is for the purpose of preventing the table board 3, to which the cleats are attached, from being accidentally dislodged laterally in either direction or upwardly, the pins extending beneath the top parts of members 2.

The pins I5 have sufficiently snug fit in their holes to remain in such assembly but they may be readily removed when it is desired to disassemble the table construction.

The pins I5 will perform the same function whether the members I be in upright position, as in Fig. 1, or in inverted position, as in Fig. 4.

The engagement of the members I within the inverted U-shaped portions of the cleats will be sufiiciently snug to prevent accidental dislodgement of the table board 3 lengthwise in either direction.

Furthermore, the provision of these cleats at the four corners of the table board 3' in the manner herein explained, with their interengagement with the members I, will serve also as a means of bracing and hence strengthening the entire assembly.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the substantially U- shaped tubular portions of the frame with their side legs 20 inclined upwardly and inwardly from the transverse member I; and the table board 3 is of proper width to permit it to be placed between the side legs 20 and supported upon the transverse members without having to invert the same. The cleats are applied to the under-side of the table board in the same manner as above explained. When the board 3 is positioned to serve as a table, the pins l5 will prevent lateral dislodgement of the board in the same manner as above explained; and the engagement of the board 3 with the legs 26 will prevent lateral dislodgement thereof when it occupies position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. When in such dotted line position, the cleats will be engaged over the members I in the same manner as they engage over the inverted U shaped portions when in the other position. When this modification is employed, it will be embodied at both ends of the table; and, with this arrangement, the table can be converted into a bed without having to invert the members I.

What I claim is:

1. An article of furniture comprising a supporting frame having spaced parallel members, duplicate inverted substantially U-shaped members extending upwardly from said parallel members, the legs of said inverted U-shaped members being inclined inwardly and upwardly, a top member adapted to rest upon the top of said inverted U- shaped members to the full extent of said members and to have its ends inserted between the lower ends of said legs and to be supported upon said parallel members, and cleats attached to the underside of said top member, each cleat having a substantially inverted U-shaped portion adapted to snugly engage over either the top of one of said inverted U-shaped members or one of said parallel members.

2. An article of furniture comprising a supporting frame having spaced parallel members, duplicate inverted substantially U-shaped members extending upwardlyfrom the middle part of said parallel members, the legs of said inverted U- shaped members being inclined inwardly and upwardly, seat members adapted to rest upon said 7 parallel members at the two sides of said inverted U-shaped members, a table member adapted to rest upon the top of said inverted U-shaped members or to have its ends inserted between the lower ends of said legs and supported upon said parallel members, and cleats attached to the under-side of'said table member, each cleat having a substantially inverted U-shaped portion adapted to snugly engage over either the top of one of said inverted U-shaped members or one of said parallel members.

JOHN C. LA RUE. 

